Four Days (film)

Four Days is a 1951 British drama film directed by John Guillermin.[1] It was based on a play of the same name by Monckton Hoffe.[2]

Four Days
Directed byJohn Guillermin
Produced byRoger Proudlock
Written byLindsay Galloway
J. MacLaren Ross
Based onthe play Four Days by Monckton Hoffe
StarringHugh McDermott
Kathleen Byron
Music byPeter D. Barker (musical adviser)
CinematographyRay Elton
Edited byRobert Jordan Hill
Production
company
Roger Proudlock Productions (as Vandyke Productions)
Distributed byGrand National Pictures (U.K.)
Release date
October 1951 (U.K.)
Running time
55 min.
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Businessman Francis Templar (Hugh McDermott) suspects his neglected wife Lucienne (Kathleen Byron) of having an affair with his business partner's son Johnny (Peter Reynolds). When the two of them confess, Templar refuses to give his wife a divorce and she retaliates by trying to poison him. Johnny however, intervenes, and manages to prevent the murder. During the next few days, Lucienne comes to realise she loves her husband after all; but Templar, believing his wife is about to leave him, attempts suicide by jumping off a cliff. He survives the fall, but loses all memory of the previous four days. Now an amnesiac, Templar is blissfully in love with his devoted wife. However, she fears their happiness is only temporary, and dreads the return of her husband's memory. To make matters worse, Johnny then reappears to blackmail Lucienne, threatening to reveal all to her husband.

Cast

Production

The film was based on a play by Mockton Hoffe which debuted in 1945.[3]

Critical reception

TV Guide gave the film two out of five stars, noting "A ludicrous melodrama which manages to pull off a couple of gripping scenes."[4]

The MFB complained about "indifferent construction."[5]

Filmink said "It’s short, taut and lots of fun; Guillermin’s direction is energetic, and there are excellent performances from Kathleen Byron and Reynolds."[6]

References
  1. "Four Days (1951)". BFI.
  2. Goble, Alan (8 September 2011). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. p. 768. ISBN 978-3-11-095194-3.
  3. THE THEATRES LYCEUM : " Four Days" The Scotsman (1921-1950); Edinburgh, Scotland [Edinburgh, Scotland]03 July 1945: 7.
  4. "Four Days". TVGuide.com.
  5. FOUR DAYS Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 18, Iss. 204, (Jan 1, 1951): 346.
  6. Vagg, Stephen (17 November 2020). "John Guillermin: Action Man". Filmink.


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